D’Aversa: ‘Quagliarella looks like a kid in training’

Sampdoria coach Roberto D’Aversa praised veteran Fabio Quagliarella. ‘He hasn’t skipped half a training. He looks like a kid.’

The 38-year-old has signed a new one-year contract at the Marassi and will continue to captain the side in 2021-22.

Quagliarella continues at Samp: ‘I’m proud and honoured’

Quagliarella arrived at Samp from Torino in July 2016 and has scored 99 goals in 233 competitive games with the Blucerchiati.

D’Aversa is impressed by the former Italy international, who has previous stints at Napoli and Juventus, but stressed age is just a number in football.

“Before I arrived, I was thinking of Fabio’s management to preserve his quality,” D’Aversa admitted to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Up to now, he hasn’t skipped half a training session, he looks like a kid. Fabio must be kept as close as possible to the penalty area.

“In football, there’s no young or old footballer, but one who is more or less strong. But they shouldn’t be loaded with pressure.

“I think of [Morten] Thorsby, who did much better in his second season than the first.”